title: Nutrition and food skills education for adults with developmental disabilities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Individuals with developmental disabilities have poor eating habits and are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, and osteoporosis. Needs and preferences for a nutrition education and foods skills program were explored in adults with developmental disabilities, agency managers, and support workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight adults with mild to moderate developmental disabilities participated in individual interviews; seven managers and 21 support workers took part in three focus group discussions. Concurrent data collection and analysis, data saturation, and a constant comparative method guided the research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants indicated a need for nutrition education and cooking programs for this population. Seven major themes emerged: poor eating habits, safety concerns, low transferable skills, social relationships, staff training needs, resource needs, and limited funding. Individuals with developmental disabilities also expressed feelings of self-efficacy in learning to cook healthy food.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a strong interest in and need for nutrition education and food skills programs for adults with developmental disabilities. The collaboration of multiple community partners in program implementation and delivery is essential. At the policy level, the needs of individuals with aging caregivers must be addressed and access to registered dietitians must be improved for this population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Chwen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hobson
authors.forename: Alicia C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003296:Cooking; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000628:therapy*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D055815:Young Adult